


Different Paths

by silvertrails



Series: Our Love [10]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-17 09:02:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11848335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvertrails/pseuds/silvertrails
Summary: Fingolfin speaks with Finwë about his decision to send Fingon to King Ingwë's Court





	Different Paths

**Different Paths  
** By CC  
July, 2013 

This is an amateur effort and does not intend to infringe on the rights of J.R.R. Tolkien. No profit is made and no harm is intended. 

The story is set in YT 1300. Maedhros is nearly seventy years old, and Fingon is ten years younger. This is the year Turgon and Finrod are born. I am assuming that Curufin was born in this year too.

* * *

Nolofinwë stood with his father in one of the palace’s towers, looking over at the city. Findekáno had left Tirion seven days ago, and still Finwë was refusing to speak about it. The only consolation Nolofinwë had was that his father had not allowed Feänáro to tell him about his reasons for taking his eldest son away from Tirion in a long trip. 

It was obvious that their father disapproved of their judgment on this matter, which was puzzling. Surely the King of the Noldor knew that any such union would be not only inconvenient but also unlawful. Even if sometimes Elves felt attracted to those of their same gender, it was uncommon, and never done among close kin. 

Yet Finwë was standing beside him, speaking about the birds in Indis’ new garden.

“I must say that waking to the sound of their chirping is not as pleasurable as the poets sing, but you get used to it after a while.”

Nolofinwë nodded.

Finwë smiled. “Are there birds near your home, Nolofinwë?”

“Father, can we stop speaking about birds, please?”

Finwë arched and eyebrow. “Do you perhaps dislike birds, my son? I seem to remember that you liked them, or was it Findis?”

Nolofinwë took a deep breath to calm himself. “It was Findis.”

“I see. Then you were a most devoted brother, because I clearly remember you sitting with her while her birds sang nonstop.”

“Father, please, can we speak about Findekáno?”

Finwë’s expression hardened slightly. “I suppose that Findekáno will stay for a long time in Ingwë’s court.”

“Probably,” Nolofinwë said. “It will be good for him.”

“Are you certain?”

“Do you not agree, Father? We are part Vanyarin, after all, and King Ingwë is not only your friend but Mother’s kin. Findekáno is going to live with family, even if it is not the family he likes most.”

“Which is?”

Nolofinwë opened his mouth to speak, and closed it again. What was he going to say? That he resented his own son for his closeness with Feänáro's? Did he actually resent Findekáno for it? He sighed and looked away.

“I would never presume to teach you how to raise your sons, Nolo,” Finwë said after a while.

“But you do not agree with what I have done.”

“I just believe that it won’t change anything.”

“You are not surprised, Father. Did you know about this?”

“I suspected. I have seen that kind of love before.”

“Someone you knew well?”

Finwë’s eyes were sad. “It was not a forbidden love because of them being close kin. There were other reasons, and they were never together. Their love was true, and it has not dimmed with time.”

Nolofinwë looked at his father, almost dreading to ask more. “Did he was a close friend of yours?”

Finwë nodded, apparently unwilling to say more. It was a relief.

“That seems to be a sad story, Papa.” 

“It was sad, but they both found love and married. They are happy with their wives and children. Love is a wonderful thing, Nolo, not something to be ashamed of.”

“They are close kin, Papa.”

“When we lived in Cuiviénen, not all the Elves agreed about those matters, Nolo. There were those who married among first cousins, and their only concern was over the offspring’s wellbeing. When there is love between two males that is not something to be concerned about.”

“Findekáno is my heir.”

Finwë smiled. “That will only be a problem if Feänáro and all his sons die, if I am also dead.”

Nolofinwë shook his head. “Father, no. Please, you cannot believe that I would expect… I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know, my son. So does your brother, though Maitimo would need only two deaths to be in my place. I just want you to think of these matters more carefully, Nolo. Is it worthwhile to lose your son because of this?”

“Findekáno might not be an obedient son, but he would never… He knows that I love him.”

“Have you told him so? Did you tell him of your love the day you banished him from Tirion?”

“I could hardly… Father, he refused to marry Aurelissë because of a forbidden love he would not speak of! What did you expect me to do?”

“I would have simply listened to him, but then I am not Findekáno’s father. I only hope that you never regret this decision, Nolofinwë.”


End file.
